The present invention relates to the employment of molecular crystals as bactericidal, viricidal and algicidal devices, but more particularly to the molecular crystal semiconductor tetrasilver tetroxide Ag.sub.4 O.sub.4 which has two trivalent and two monovalent silver atoms per molecule, and which through this structural configuration enables electronic activity on a molecular scale capable of killing algae and bacteria via the same mechanism as macroscale electron generators. The concept of molecular scale semiconductor devices for the storage of information has been the subject of much activity in recent years so that the concept of a molecular scale device performing such functions as storing information or acting as resistors, capacitors or photovoltaic devices is well accepted. The molecular device of this invention is a multivalent silver diamagnetic semiconductor. The bactericidal activity of soluble divalent silver (Ag II) complex bactericides is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,295 of the present inventor. The inventor has also been granted U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,078,902, 5,073,382, 5,089,275, and 5,098,582, which all deal with Ag II bactericides but more particularly with (respectively) halides, alkaline pH, stabilized complexes and the divalent oxide. It is U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,582, and its perfection that has led to the present invention. This patent designated AgO as divalent silver oxide, the popular name of the compound. Indeed, the Merck Index (11th Edition) designates the oxide as silver(II) oxide (AgO) (entry 8469). However, it also states that it is actually a silver(I)-silver(III) oxide with a molecular weight of 123.88. After filing my patent application, a comprehensive examination was begun of information relating to the structure of this oxide. Further investigation of the scientific literature revealed that said oxide was actually on a molecular level Ag.sub.4 O.sub.4 where one pair of silver ions in the molecule was trivalent and another pair was monovalent. Said oxide is actually on a molecular level Ag.sub.4 O.sub.4 where one pair of silver ions in the molecule is trivalent and another pair is monovalent.
While the formula AgO accurately designates the silver:oxygen ratio, the molecular weight of the compound is actually 495.52. Further elucidation of the molecule's electromagnetic properties revealed that it is a diamagnetic semiconductor. The structure is electronically active because of the trivalent sp.sup.2 electron configuration disparity of the electrons within the crystal. The oxide as presented in my patent was actually capable of killing 100% of standardized E. coli and Strep. faecalis colonies in less than five minutes at concentratiors of 0.5 PPM. My independent evaluations of this oxide in areas unrelated to water treatment resulted in the "molecular device" concept which was substantiated by submission of the oxide for testing with a preferred embodiment of the invention (10 PPM of sodium persulfate) at an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified laboratory which revealed that 0.5 PPM of oxide only yielded 0.003 PPM of silver in solution, a silver concentration entirely too low to cause this level of bactericidal activity. Indeed, the killing of the bacteria was analogous to that obtained by electron generating devices utilized in swimming pools or water towers for killing bacteria. It was therefore postulated that the oxide efficacy at low concentrations could only be attributed to regarding each oxide molecule as a device. Further testing was continued on algae and viruses. The accumulated data of efficacy at low concentrations, coupled together with a reinterpretation of silver oxide efficacy, has led to the final development of this invention, namely, a molecular device for killing algae, bacteria and viruses in utilitarian water bodies, such as swimming pools.